A guide to solar power in Queensland

Queensland – ‘The Sunshine State’. With more than half a million roof top solar systems installed across Queensland, the state currently leads the nation in solar penetration. But for those who aren’t yet on board with the solar revolution, Canstar Blue has put together this guide on the benefits and costs of solar, and how you can find the system best suited for you.

How much does solar cost in Queensland?

It costs between $3,000 and $13,000 to purchase and install a new solar PV system in Queensland. Small solar systems (less than 3kW) generally cost $4,000 or less, while 4kW systems or larger will set you back upwards of $5,000.

While that might sound expensive, solar is considerably cheaper in Queensland than in most other states and territories. The below table courtesy of Solar Choice shows the average price for popular solar system sizes in Queensland, compared to the national average. As you can see, a solar system in Queensland is often several hundreds of dollars cheaper than across the border.

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How many households have solar in Queensland?

According to a recent climate council report, around half a million (or 1 in 3 Queensland homes) have a solar system installed. But the Queensland Government expects this figure to rise to about one million homes by 2020.

While solar uptake in Queensland has slowed down since the Solar Bonus Scheme closed in 2012, many households are still getting on board – particularly in the South-East of the state, with several Brisbane suburbs already having a solar penetration of more than 50%.

QLD Solar Rebates and Incentives

There are two primary solar incentives available: Feed-in tariffs and Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs). These schemes help reduce the cost of solar and make it easier to get a return on your investment.

Small-scale Technology Certficates in Queensland

STCs are part of the federal scheme which rewards customers with a form of rebate. If you install solar panels or a solar hot water system, you will receive number of certificates that can be sold on an open market or given to your solar installer for a hefty discount on your system.

The price per certificate shifts with supply and demand, though it usually sits around the $40 mark. The number of STCs you will receive will depend on the systems size, as well as your location. The country is split into STC zones 1 through 4, with zone 1 having the highest STC reward. As the image shows, solar power customers north of the Sunshine Coast receive the most STCs. Inland Queenslanders will earn the second most and South-East Queenslanders, the least.

Queensland Solar Feed-in Tariffs

When solar panels produce electricity and no one uses it, this power is transferred to the shared energy grid. For every kWh of electricity that your solar panels export, your energy distributor will rebate a few cents off your electricity bill.

The minimum flat-rate feed-in tariff in regional Queensland is 9.369c/kWh, while South-East Queenslanders (on the Energex network in the Brisbane area) receive a voluntary FiT that’s usually around 10c/kWh. Some retailers may offer even higher FiTs – AGL and Click Energy both have solar deals with FiTs of 20c/kWh and 16c/kWh respectively. The Queensland government in 2018 announced it would be introducing a voluntary opt-in time-varying feed-in tariff to regional Queensland. Solar customers on time-varying tariffs receive a different price for their solar output depending on the time of day. During “peak” hours between 3pm and 7pm, customers are paid 13.606 cents per kWh of electricity produced by their solar panels. All other times are considered “off-peak” and customers are paid 7.358 cents per kWh of solar.

Customers who signed up to the Queensland government’s old Solar Bonus Scheme before July 2012 will continue to receive an additional flat-rate FiT of 44c/kWh until 2028. Unfortunately for new solar customers, however, reintroducing a premium feed-in tariff doesn’t look like it’s on the cards.

QLD Solar Plans

Here are the cheapest published solar-specific deals from the retailers currently on our database for QLD. These costs are based on a typical three-person household living on the Energex network in Brisbane, but prices will vary depending on your circumstances. We show one product per retailer, listed in order of price. Use our comparison tool above for a specific comparison in your area. Annual cost estimates exclude solar payments. This table includes featured products.

QLD Solar Companies & Feed-in Tariffs

Electricity customers in South-East Queensland (from the NSW border to around Gympie and Toowomba) are able to choose their energy provider. Feed-in tariffs for SE Queensland customers vary from 6c/kWh to 20c/kWh, so it’s worth shopping around. When comparing electricity products, keep in mind some solar deals often have higher rates and smaller discounts than standard (non-solar) offers. That means a solar plan with a high FiT won’t necessarily be the cheapest option. Below are just some of the products in the Queensland market.

List of Queensland Solar Deals

Powershop

All products

9.5c/kWh

Alinta Energy

Home SaverPlus Solar

11c/kWh

Red Energy

All products

11.5c/kWh

Click Energy

Solar

12c/kWh

Solar Light

8c/kWh

Solar Bright

16c/kWh

AGL

All products

10.6c/kWh

Solar Savers

20c/kWh

Ergon Energy(Regional only)

Standing

9.369c/kWh

EnergyAustralia

All products

16.1c/kWh

Origin Energy

Solar Boost Plus

20c/kWh

Simply Energy

All products

10c/kWh

Diamond Energy

Market Offer

12c/kWh

Energy Locals

Simple Saver

9c/kWh

Dodo Power & Gas

Market Offer

8.5c/kWh

Mojo Power

Energy with Benefits

20c/kWh

Powerdirect

Market Offer

10.6c/kWh

1st Energy

All products

6c/kWh

QEnergy

All products

8c/kWh

Amaysim Energy

Solar 2

14c/kWh

Affordable Energy Plan – Interest-Free Solar Loans

The Queensland government has set itself a target of one million rooftop solar systems by 2020 – nearly double the number of systems today. To assist this, the state government introduced its ‘Affordable Energy Plan’. Among other things, this energy plan includes interest free loans on solar power systems that help households deal with the huge upfront cost of solar. Additionally, it will introduce a trial program aimed at encouraging landlords to install solar and pass on the benefits to the tenant. This would be done through an annual $520 rebate to landlords who install solar on rental premises. Details are scare at this point and there’s no guarantee this plan will be implemented, so watch this space for updates.

Is solar a good investment?

Solar is not the surefire investment it was in the days of the Solar Bonus Scheme, however it can still save you money in the long-term by shaving hundreds off your energy bill every year.

While the price of solar has fallen over the years, solar panels are still an expensive purchase. It will take years before the solar panels pay off and your solar savings exceed what you spent on the system.

Solar is going to be most profitable for households which:

Have great weather

Are charged high electricity usage rates

Receive a large feed-in tariff

Live in STC zone 1 or 2

What to consider before installing solar

Is your roof right for solar? Solar can be installed on nearly any type of roof, whether it is flat or tilted. Solar installation may, however, be slightly more expensive if your roof is flat as the installer would need to install and mount the solar panels on angled brackets.

Anyone with an old or damaged roof should consider repairs before installing solar – once its installed, your roof needs to last as long as the new solar panels.

How shaded is your roof? If there are trees blocking the sunlight to your roof, you will need to have these trimmed to ensure the solar panels receive sunlight. The down side is that removing the shade might make your home warmer in the summer months.

The price of electricity: The more you pay for electricity, the more you can save with solar – it’s that simple. Alternatively, if you’re not getting a good price on electricity, compare electricity providers.

Future needs: Solar panels should last at least a decade, so plan ahead. If you have kids moving out of home soon, maybe you don’t need as large of a solar system as you were quoted.

Are you considering leasing or selling? While solar panels undoubtedly improve property value, how much value they add will depend on the property market – so it’s not necessarily a safe bet. If you’re planning on leasing out the property, realestate.com.au says renters are likely to pay more rent for a property with solar panels. Also be sure to keep an eye out for developments on how you can benefit from the Queensland Government’s proposed Affordable Energy Plan.

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*Costs based on annual usage calculations using statistics from AER for a three person household on the Energex network in Brisbane, November 2018. For more information on annual cost calculations please click here.

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